Pastor Phill preaches this Sunday (October 30, 2022) on Psalm 57. The 57^th sermon in the Psalm series, pastor Phill’s big idea this week is that God has a plan for David, and this plan includes intense pain and severe persecution, but will end with the people’s praise. We learn in the same way David endured pain in God’s plan for him, Jesus Christ endured greater pain within God’s salvific plan for humanity, a truth we can praise God in today! The Scripture readings from our worship service were from John 12:27-36, 1 Samuel 22:1-5, Revelation 5:11-13.

Discussion Questions:

1. Do you put your hope in God when troubles come? If so, what has contributed to help you to come to God? if not, what contributes to you not coming to God when you experience troubles?
2. Does God show in other places in Scripture that God’s plan is painful? What were the results of those passages?
3. How does Scripture point to the end of suffering? How can we rest in those truths?
4. Does God have a plan for His people? What have we seen in His word in the plan? How does God’s plans involve suffering?
5. How do we know that God’s plan for David involved suffering? How do we know that it wasn’t just difficult things that happened?
6. How does David have confidence in God amidst His suffering?
7. What contributes to how David can know that he can trust God and His word?
8. Have you ever heard a promise from God and though in the process get discouraged that the promise is not fulfilled? How did you respond to this discouragement?
9. Have you experienced seeing God’s people either in the word or in your life those who get discouraged but continue to go to God and have hope in God?
10. How did Israel get discouraged in exile? How did Israel have hope in God? what did God do when Israel was discouraged?
11. How did David submit to God’s plan? How does his example impact us?
12. How does God’s plan for David reflect God’s plan for Jesus?
13. How is Psalm 57 for you?
14. How does the plan of Jesus lead God’s people to praise?
15. How can God’s people recognize whether or not they are living for their own personal glorifies instead of God’s glory?
16. How does living and experiencing the glory of God impact the purposes of God’s children through their daily lives?
17. How does God help His people not live for their own glory but instead live for God’s? What does it look like?